Button positioner attachment for sewing machines



Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet l Harry R. Guedry INVENTOR.

BY Wyn 25m Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5Sheets-$heet 2 Fig.2

Harry R. Guedry INVENTOR.

Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5Sheets-Sheet 3 1 l l /05 14a Him 52 Nov. 15, 1960 Filed Jan. 14, 1958BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING lllACI-HNE'S 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Fig. 7

Harry R. Guedry INVEN TOR. /76 /72 [78 BY Wm WW E an-5 5 Sheets-Sheet 5H. R. GUEDRY Nov. 15, 1.960

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 T u4 Wm .A u m MW 6 PM 1 .a. H J R 8 a U QM 4 HM! r m 6 Q. Q W 7 5 .v m a wBUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Harry R. Guedry, 1809Broad St., New Orleans, La., 25-

signor of fifty percent to Harold S. Bonck, New Orleans, La.

This invention comprises a novel and useful button positioner attachmentfor button sewing machines and more particularly relates to a deviceadapted to be applied to a conventional button sewing machineautomatically operable for orienting buttons and positioning them upon agarment or article with the buttonholes properly disposed for passage ofthe sewing machine needle therethrough. V

The primary object of this invention is to provide a button positioningattachment for button sewing machines which shall be interconnected withthe driving mechanism thereof and timed with respect thereto whereby toautomatically feed buttons from a hopper, orient the holes in thebuttons with respect to the needle of the sewing machine, and then movea button beneath the needle of the sewing machine in proper positionupon a garment for attachment thereto by the needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment whichshall be capable of receiving in a hopper buttons discharged thereintoat random, and thereafter automatically feed the buttons as required andorient them with respect to the needle of a sewing machine forattachment to a garment thereby.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a button positioningattachment for button sewing machines which shall hold, transmit andplace a button in proper position upon a garment for attachment theretoin a simplified and improved manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a conventional form of sewing machineshowing the button positioning attachment of this invention appliedthereto, a part of the base of the sewing machine being broken away toshow the position of certain of the driving elements of the attachment;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 1, a part ofthe sewing machine being omitted therefrom and parts being broken away,and showing in particular the button orienting and feeding mechanismtogether with a mechanism for operating the slide which moves anoriented button into proper position upon the garirfient by engagementby the sewing machine needle;

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary detail views, showing a portion of themechanism of Figure 2 in different positions of the operating mechanism;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 2 and showing thearrangement and details of the button positioning attachments operatingmechanism;

itates Patent 2,960,049 Patented Nov 15, 1960 Figure 6 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicatedby the section line 6-6 of Figure 5 and showing in end elevation andproper in section further details of the operating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a group perspective view of elements forming the buttonclamp for holding the button in position for sewing upon a garment; and

Figure 8 ha group perspective view of the elements forming the slide bywhich the oriented button is conveyed to the clamp to'be held therebypositioned'for sewing to a garment. 1

Referring first to Figure lit will be seen that the numeral 10designates a conventional button sewing machine to which the buttonpositioning attachment of this invention has been applied. Thismachineas shown in cludes the supporting base 12 having the usualstandard 14 and arm 16 thereon together with a horizontally andlaterally projectingbed 18 carried by the arm 14 and across which thearticle to be sewed is adapted to be passed and with which the buttonpositioning attachment of the present invention cooperates. I

The sewing machine is provided with the usual needle bar 20 carrying aneedle 22. The sewing machine is provided with the usual drivingmechanism, not shown, but which includes an electric motor 24 foroperating the same.

The attachment of the present invention is mounted upon the base 12 andthe bed 18 of the sewing machine and is Operatively connected with themotor 24 whereby the operation of the attachment is coordinated with andtimed with the operation of the conventional sewing machine.

From further reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that the attachmentforming the subject of the present invention and as applied to theconventional sewing machine 19 consists of a casing or framework 26housing the operating mechanism of this invention, a button receivinghopper 28 disposed beneath the arm 16 of the sewing machine, slide andclamp assemblies to be described in detail hereinafter which receivebuttons from the hopper 28 and position them beneath the needle 22 ofthe sewing machine; together with a driving mechanism connected to themotor 24 by which the various movable elements of the attachment areoperated in timed relation to operation of the sewing machine needles. v

The conventional driving mechanism by which the electric motor isOperatively connected to the sewing machine needle bar 20 has not beenshown, since this construction is of any conventional design and is wellunderstood by those skilled in the art. However, the driving means bywhich the electric motor is also connected with the movable elements ofthis attachment is indicated in Figure 1 as consisting of a drivingpulley 36 mounted on the motor shaft 32 and over which is entrained abelt or sprocket chain 34 connected to a driven pulley 36 forming a partof a reduction gear assembly 38. Since the details of the reduction gearassembly in themselves form no part of the present invention, it merelybeing necessary that this assembly shall provide the requisite speedratio between the sewing machine motor 24 and the elements of theattachment of this invention, the description and illustration of thereduction gearing assembly has been omitted as being unnecessary.However, this assembly includes an output pulley 40 which is connectedas by a belt or chain 42 with a driven pulley 44 journaled in anysuitable manner from the base 12 of the sewing machine.

Operatively attached to the pulley 44 is a sprocket 46 having a chain 48which in turn drives a pulley 50 carried by a shaft 52, the latterextending through the casing or framework 26 and constituting the actualdriving shaft of this attachment. The base 12 of the sewing machine isprovided with a slot 54, either a slot originally formed therein or oneprovided for the purpose of applying this attachment thereto. Either thepulley 50 or the pulley 44 may be provided with a single revolutionclutch mechanism of any desired type, so that when a single rotation hasbeen imparted to the shaft 52, the clutch will be thrown out inreadiness for the next application of the driving means thereto.- It maybe here noted that the sewing machine operator works the sewing machineand the attachment by means of two foot pedals. One pedal controls theoperation of the sewing machine in the conventional manner, while theother pedal throws the clutch on the pulleys 44 or 50 into operation asdesired, the automatic clutch then throwing the driving mechanism forthe shaft 52 out of operation after a single revolution of the latterhas been eifected.

A one pedal arrangement can also be employed to opcrate the sewingmachine and the attachment both in one continuous cycle. However,inasmuch as the invention claimed herein does not require and does notreside in the construction of the above mentioned pedal control means,further reference thereto is deemed to be unnecessary.

Referring now especially to Figures 2-6, it will be seen that the casing26 includes a base plate 60 having at its opposite sides a pair of angleiron members 62 together with screws 64, see Figures 2 and 5, by whichthe angle iron members and the base plate are secured to the sewingmachine base 12. Additional screws 66 extending through the sides of theangle iron members attach the parallel vertical plates 68 which comprisethe side walls of the casing.

A pair of mounting plates 70 having elongated slots 72 therein areprovided with setscrews 74 extending through these slots and engagingscrew threaded apertures in the side walls 68, whereby the mountingplates 70 may be supported by and adjusted longitudinally of these sidewalls.

As shown more clearly in Figure in conjunction with Figures 2-4, thepreviously mentioned driving shaft 52 is journaled in the mountingplates 70 and extends through enlarged holes in the side walls 68.Additionally, there are provided two parallel axles or pivots 76 and 78respectively for a purpose to be subsequently apparent.

The driving shaft 52 carries a pair of cams 80 and 82 thereon for apurpose to be subsequently apparent.

As will be readily apparent from the drawings, the top of the casing 26is open and a pair of levers 84 are fixed upon the shaft 76 and havefingers 86 which project upwardly above the open top of the casing forpivoting movement for imparting reciprocation to the button carryingslide as set forth hereinafter. One of these levers carries anantifriction roller 88 which engages the cam 82 whereby oscillatorymovement is imparted to the levers upon rotation of the driving shaft52.

Also mounted on the shaft 78 is a second lever 90 which intermediate itsends is provided with an antifraction roller 92 engaging the previouslymentioned cam 80 on the shaft 52 whereby upon rotation of this shaftoscillating movement will be imparted to the lever 90. As will be bestapparent from Figure 1, the outer end of the lever 90 is provided withan angulated upwardly projecting end portion 94- to the extremity ofwhich is secured an angle bracket 96. The latter in turn includes anupper horizontally extending arm 98 which overlies the sewing machinebed 18 for the purpose to be subsequently set forth.

Referring now especially to Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, it will be seenthat the button carrying slide mechanism consists of a flat plate 100'apertured as at 102 for the reception of screws 104 by which the plateis secured to a member 105 mounted upon the top. surfaceof the bed 18.The member 105 is a conventional element of a button sewing machine,such as the well known Singer Model 69, and is connected to the sewingmachine so that during operation of the machine it has a side to sideand back and forward movement in timed relation to the operation of theneedle, for successively positioning buttonholes beneath the needle. Useis therefore made of this member for purposes of this invention.

The plate is provided with side walls 106 between which is slidablyreceived a slide in the form of a plate 108. It will be observed that atone end the side walls are projected upwardly and provided with inturnedretaining horizontal flanges 110 to assist in retaining the slide uponthe plate. An adjustable slide stop is provided in the form of acrossbar 112having depending side walls 114, one of which is elongatedand is sloted as at 116 to receive a setscrew 118, whereby the crossbaris longitudinally adjustable upon the base plate 100 to thereby adjustthe limit of the travel of the slide. Thus, the side walls where theymerge with the flanges 110 are provided with vertically extendingshoulders 120 and the crossbar is provided with a verticallytransversely extending surface 122. As set forth hereinafter, theshoulders 120 and the surface 122 limits the reciprocation oflongitudinal travel of the slide 108 upon the base 100.

Adjacent its forward end of the slide 108 is provided with a mediallydisposed longitudinally extending rib 124 having 'a concave surface 126at its forward end providing a seat for a button. A plurality of pins128 project upwardly from the slide in proper disposition to the seat128 to permit a button to be seated upon these pins by engagement of theholes of the buttons thereon to thus hold the button in properlyoriented position with respect to the needles of the sewing machine. Ashereinbefore pointed out, the cyclic movements of the member 105 and theplate 100 carried thereby will successively shift the button to alignits holes sequentially with the needle 22.

At its rearward end the slide has an upwardly extending bracket 130which is secured as by screws 132 to a transversely extending rod 134.The latter, as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to overlie the crossbar 112when the slide is in its rearward position, and is positioned to beengaged adjacent its opposite ends by the two fingers 86 of the levers84, whereby when these levers are oscillated by the cam 82, the slidewill be forced forwardly carrying with it a button to be delivered tothe holding members. A spring 136 has one extremity secured to the rod134, and its other extremity secured to the standard 14 of the sewingmachine as will be readily apparent from Figure 1. The springconstitutes a return means normally urging the slide to its rearwardposition, with the bracket 130 engaging the stop surface 122 of thecrossbar 112, at which time the pins 128 on the slide and the seat 126thereof are positioned to seat a button from the button feedingmechanism as set forth hereinafter.

Reference is now made particularly to Figures 1-7 for an understandingof the button clamp assembly. A vertically rocking blade 140 is providedhaving at one end a downturned flange 142. The flange 142 is pivotallyreceived in a semi-cylindrical groove 143 formed in the bottom wall of arecess 145 in a block 148 which is carried by or is integral with theplate 100. A flat leaf spring 147 is secured by a screw 146 to ashoulder or seat 149 in the recess 145 in a position overlying the blade140, as shown in Figure 2, to urge the latter downwardly.

At its opposite extremity, the blade 140 is provided with a rectangular,laterally enlarged end portion 150 having an enlarged hole 152therethrough for a purpose to be subsequently set forth. The enlargedend portion 150 is provided at its outer extremity with an aperture 154,while immediately inwardly of the hole 152 there is provided a pair ofapertures 156. At the junction of the enlarged portion with the mainbody of the blade there is provided a further aperture 158.

A bar 160 is secured beneath the enlarged portion 150 by means of anapertured lug 162, a screw 164, see Figure 7, being provided extendingthrough the apertured lug 162 and the aperture 154. As will be bestapparent from Figures 1 and 5, the outer end of the bar 160 is providedwith a curved end portion 166 which is positioned to overlie thehorizontal arm 98 of the bracket 96 whereby the bar 160 and thelaterally enlarged portion 150 of the blade will be lifted against theaction of the spring 147 when this bracket is lifted, for a purpose tobe subsequently set forth.

There are further provided a pair of fiat metal strips or arms 168 whichat one end thereof are apertured as at 170 whereby they may be pivotallysecured to the enlarged portion 150 of the blade 140 by means of thefastening screws 172 engaged in the apertures 156. Thus, these arms aremounted upon the blade for pivotal movement towards and from each other.

Intermediate their ends the inner edges of the arms are recessed or cutaway as at 174 to define an opening registering with the previouslymentioned opening 152 for a purpose to be subsequently set forth. Attheir other ends the arms are provided with downturned portion 176comprising flanges which at their lower extremities have laterallydisposed lugs or flanges 178 defining jaws having adjacent concavegripping surfaces 180 adapted to clamp a button therebetween as setforth hereinafter.

A tension spring 182 is connected to the arms 168 by the apertures 183therein to thereby yieldingly urge the arms and jaws toward each otherand to gripping engagement with a button. A wedge plate 184, aperturedas at 186 is disposed between the pivoted ends of the arms 168, beingclamped to the underside of the blade 140 as by fastening screw 188which is received in the screw threaded aperture 158. The wedge plate184 comprises a stop which limits movement of the jaws toward each otherunder the resilient force of the spring 182.

Referring now specifically to Figure 1 it Will be observed that there isprovided a support standard 190 suitably mounted as by flange 192 andscrews 194 to the base 12 of the sewing machine, this standard having ahorizontally disposed arm 196 having a pair of guide pulleys 198thereon. Disposed in a convenient manner below the sewing machine arm 16is a shallow hopper 200 carried by a standard 201, Figure 2, likewisemounted on the base 12, which hopper is open at its top for thereception of buttons to be positioned for sewing by this device. Thehopper has an opening overlying a rotatable tube 202 which constitutes abutton discharge tube or chute. The lower end of this tube extendsthrough the opening 152 in the blade 140 and through the opening betweenthe arms 168 defined by the recesses 174, and its lower end terminates ashort distance above the slide 108.

Adjacent its lower end, the tube 202 is rotatably supported by adiametrically enlarged cylindrical ball bearing assembly 204 which isreceived within and retained by setscrews 206 carried by a band 208which in turn is supported by the bracket 210, the latter being securedby fasteners 212, see Figure 1, which will engage in aperture 214, seeFigure 8, in the side wall 106 in the slide assembly base plate 100.Thus the bearing assembly 204, 208 supports the tube 202.

Secured to the bottom wall 216 of the hopper is a bearing 218 in whichis rotatably journaled a shaft 220 having a pulley 222 thereon. Thisshaft extends into the hopper and is provided with an arm 224 which uponrotation of the shaft is adapted to rotate upon the bottom wall of thehopper and thus agitate or stir the buttons therein and direct the sametoward the discharge chute or tube 202. A belt 226 is operativelyconnected to the pulley 222 and surrounds the tube 202 whereby uponrotation of the latter operation will be imparted to the agitator shaft.A further belt 228 is operatively entrained about the tube 202, over theidler'pulleys "198, and about a driving pulley 230 secured to thesprocket gear 50. Thus, upon rotation of the sprocket gear, the pulleybelt 220 will cause rotation of the tube 202; and the latter will inturn impart rotation to the agitatory arm 224. Thus buttons will beswept into the tube 202 and stacked therein, and will be dispensed fromthe lower end of the tube as set forth hereinafter and during suchdispensingwill be oriented.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of the device willbe understood. When the gear 50 is rotated in properly timed relation tothe operation of the sewing machine, it will impart rotation to theshaft 52 and the cams and 82 carried thereby; and also to the tube 202or discharge chute from the hopper. This in turn will operate theagitator causing buttons in the hopper to be swept into the dischargetube or chute 202 and stacked up therein in readiness for dispensingtherefrom. The cam 82 will operate the lever 84 which in turn will movethe slide forward against resistance of the spring 136. This forwardmovement of the slide will cause the same to move from beneath thedischarge end of the tube with the button receiving pins 128 disposedtherebeneath and holding a button thereon. Upon rotation of the tube,the holes in the buttons will eventually align with the pins 128,whereby a button may drop upon the pins, the button then being receivedupon the pins and against the curved seat 126. Forward movement of theslide will then carry this button forwardly and between the jaws 178from the rear thereof, where the button will be retained between thejaws by the tension of the spring 182. During this forward movement ofthe button, the rib 124 of the slide 108 will close the lower end of thetube 202 and will prevent the dispensing of the next button from thechute or tube 202 comprising a rotary magazine for the buttons until theslide has again moved to the rear and the pins 128 again underlie thetube.

If, in the unlikely event the button positioning slide should moveforward to the resilient clamping jaws carrying an ill-formed button, orno button at all, the operator can cancel all subsequent, automatic,sequential operations of the machine and initiate an entire new buttonplacing cycle by moving the control pedal which throws into operationthe clutch on the pulleys 44 or 50 as is described earlier.

Thereafter, the cam 80 then lifts the lever which by engagement of thearm 98 with the bar 160 will lift the blade and button from the slide asindicated in Figure 4. Thereafter, the cam 82 allows the lever 84 to bemoved back to its original position shown in Figure 2 under the impetusof its return spring 136.

The cam 80 then allows the arm 90 to drop and place the button carriedwithin the jaws upon the garment in proper position to be sewed theretoby the needles 22 of the sewing machine.

Interchangeable wedges 184 and slides 108 with different springs of pins128 and sets 126 will be provided to adapt the device to handlingvarious sizes of buttons. Obviously, a plurality or multiple of thepositioning units could be provided for spacing the buttons correctlyupon a single garment.

By journaling the driving shaft 52 in the mounting plates 70 andproviding enlarged holes in the side walls 68 to receive the drivingshaft as previously mentioned, provision is made for adjusting thedriving shaft towards or from the shaft 76. This permits easy adjustmentof the stroke of the arms 84 thereby adjusting the motion of the slide108 and the positioning of a button carried thereby relative to theneedle of the sewing machine. This adjustment is effected throughloosening the setscrew 74 and moving the mounting plates 70 relative tothe side walls 68.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is 'believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the'scope of the in vention as claimed. T

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination with a button sewing machine having a drive means andresilient clamping jaws for holding a button, a button orienting andpositioning attachment including a rotatably mounted vertically disposedbutton discharge-tube mounted on said sewing machine rearwardly of theclamping jaws and having an interior di ameter such that the buttonsdelivered pass freely through the tube but sufiiciently close fittingwith respect to the button that rotary motion is imported to the buttonspassing through said tube, a belt drive means interconnected between thesewing machine drive means and the discharge tube for rotatably drivingsaid tube, a button holding hopper mounted on said sewing machine andlocated at the upper end of the rotatably mounted discharge tube adaptedto supply buttons to saidtube in stacked array, a horizontal slideslidably mounted on said machine and located at the bottom of thedischarge tube, means interconnected between the sewing machine drivemeans and said slide for reciprocating said slide, said reciprocatingslide being provided with at least two stationary button needle holeorienting pins for receiving individual rotating buttons from the lowerend of to rotating but? ton discharge tube to stop the rotation of anindividual button in correctly oriented needle hole position, said slidebeing in alignment with said resilient clamping jaws for delivery oforiented buttons into said clamping jaws through the back side thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,460,195 Eames et a1 June 26, 1923 1,941,027 Vaughan Dec. 26, 19332,097,610 Wilsey Nov. 2, 1937 2,597,912 Troll May 27, 1952 2,753,822Nessle July 10, 1956 2,786,566 Toggart et a1 Mar. 26, 1957

